D-2 and Already Viral: This K-Drama Hasn’t Even Aired Yet, But It’s Already Breaking the Internet

A Drama That’s Making Waves Before Its Premiere

Even before its official release, one new K-drama is already making headlines — racking up over 1 million views on its teaser and building massive anticipation online.

The show in question? TVING Original “Way Back Love” (내가 죽기 일주일 전).

Based on a popular novel of the same name, this youth fantasy romance tells the story of Hi-wan (played by Kim Min-ha), a girl who has distanced herself from the world — until her first love Ram-woo (played by Gong Myung) reappears… as a grim reaper.

As the past and present intertwine, the story follows a dazzling one-week journey that blurs the line between life, love, and loss.

Highlight Clip Already Going Viral

The newly released highlight clip starts with a symbolic moment — Hi-wan dropping a piece of bread.

Ram-woo, now a grim reaper, asks her, “Did I do something wrong?”

She replies, “After we swapped names… didn’t you notice something change?”

Their bittersweet dynamic, which began playfully, now carries the weight of time and fate.

As Ram-woo reappears in Hi-wan’s life, her time — which had emotionally stopped — begins moving again. The series promises to captivate viewers with its emotional swings between the innocent past and the changed present.

A Festival Favorite Before It Even Aired

“One Week Before I Die” was invited to the “On Screen” section of the 2023 Busan International Film Festival, gaining attention even before its official premiere.

The series delicately portrays how characters evolve over time, capturing both the sweet excitement of first love and the aching beauty of longing.

Press Conference Highlights

At the press conference held April 1 at CGV Yongsan I’Park Mall in Seoul, the main cast — Kim Min-ha, Gong Myung, Jung Gun-joo, and Oh Woo-ri — shared insights about their roles.

Kim Min-ha (who starred in the global hit series Pachinko alongside Lee Min-ho) said, “I felt so grateful to come across a script that resonated with the story I wanted to express. I approached it with both gratitude and responsibility.”

She added with a laugh, “If I could be known for something, I’d like to be the icon of one-sided love. There’s no one with that title yet, right?”

Gong Myung (who starred in popular k-dramas and movies from Be Melodramatic to Citizen of a Kind), plays the reimagined grim reaper Ram-woo. He shared, “When I first read the script, the youthful, wistful tone really softened my heart.”

He also spoke about preparing for his character, “I studied many versions of grim reapers portrayed by veteran actors. The director and I talked a lot about how to visually and emotionally present the character — especially since our version is very different from the grim reapers viewers might be used to.”

“I tried to express the delicate boundary between Ram-woo and the idea of death itself.”

Release Schedule

The drama is a 6-episode series, with 2 episodes released weekly starting April 3 on TVING.